Clever ideas to keep things running smoothly: What tire recycling has to do with stock photos
Wheels represent mobility and progress par excellence, but the mountains of car tires piling up all over the world are also a major environmental problem. In Germany alone, around half a million tons of worn tires are produced each year, and across Europe the figure is around 3.4 million tons. Scrap tire depots are now banned for environmental reasons, and incineration releases harmful emissions. So where to put all that rubber waste? The Saarland-based company Pyrum Innovations, which is now listed on the stock exchange, has found an answer: In a patented process called pyrolysis, the tires are broken down into their components, gas, char, and oil, which can then be reused.
In our time of energy crisis, throwaway society, and climate change, such sustainable approaches in industry are a real ray of hope. Pyrum Innovations’s example shows that industry—often (and not without reason) scolded as the biggest producer of greenhouse gases—is capable of developing environmentally compatible processes. And these processes can also be economically worthwhile. The company, founded in 2009, is on an expansion course, planning to build numerous additional tire recycling plants, and is cooperating with major corporations such as Mercedes-Benz and BASF. The chemical giant from Ludwigshafen has joined as an investor and has made a long-term commitment to purchase 100,000 tons of the recovered oil annually. Other major customers include tire manufacturers Continental, Pirelli, and Michelin.
Clever ideas always need a (picture) story
This entrepreneurial success story shows how deeply “green thinking” has now become established even in the executive suites of major industrial groups. Though there is still a long way to go, heightened environmental awareness under the impact of the climate crisis is slowly but steadily leading to a rethink toward greater sustainability in all areas of life and business. This heightened sensitivity has resulted in a change in consumer behavior to which companies must respond—if not out of awareness, then for economic considerations alone.
See all images of this Sustainability Production by Daniel Ingold!
But it’s not enough to just have good ideas and implement them, you also have to make them known. Effective external presentation and positive corporate communication are just as important as a great business concept. The young founders of Pyrum Innovations can certainly sing a song about this. After founding their company in 2009, they had to navigate many financial obstacles because potential lenders were skeptical and first had to be convinced of the pyrolysis concept.
Encouraging images of the future as it could be
Pioneering startups like Pyrum Innovations are not only making industry more environmentally friendly, but they are also encouraging change. We don’t have to go back to the trees to live more harmoniously with our natural environment. Still, courage requires vision—that is, a positive picture of the future as it could be and function. And that brings us to stock photography, which depicts modern life in all its facets and makes life’s fundamental trends visible.
Just like Pyrum Innovations, a stock photography agency like Westend61 has to look ahead to anticipate those customer needs that can only be served with novel approaches. But that is not the only point of contact: Westend61 and its photographers see it as their responsibility to make the topic of sustainability visible in all its aspects, thus contributing to the further development of social environmental awareness. Of course, we do this not only out of idealism, but also because we want to earn money. And that is also possible with high-quality images; there is a great demand for motifs from the subject area of “Green Technology/Industry.”
Strong images for credible corporate communication
There are more and more smart and innovative approaches that reconcile the idea of sustainability with economic success. One photographer who skillfully stages such companies is Daniel Ingold, a member of the Westend61 team since late 2015. In addition to portraits and business subjects, one main focus of his work is industrial photography. The shoot at Pyrum Innovations in Dillingen, Saarland, was a home game, so to speak, for Daniel who grew up in Saarland. His images document how sustainable concepts can become models for success and role models for others.
The example of Pyrum Innovations proves that industry is not simply the bad guy when it comes to environmental pollution. The challenges of climate change and the resulting pressure on businesses are preparing the ground for many new business ideas that are dictated not only by profit considerations but also by ecological necessities. Tighter emissions regulations, as well as the more critically aware customers and consumers, require transparency and credible corporate communications—and that happens successfully when using authentic images with a clear and strong message.
